West Virginia @ North Carolina

North Carolina Men’s Wrestling knocked off West Virginia 27-7 at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill on December 12, 2025. The Tar Heels built a margin that West Virginia could not overcome, keyed by two bonus-point results and a pivotal victory in the ranked 197-pound match.

The biggest momentum swing came when #20 Bryce Hepner pinned Shawn Taylor at 165 pounds, a fall that delivered six team points and created a sizable cushion for North Carolina. West Virginia answered in the upper weights when Leo Contino recorded a 10-0 major decision over Marcus Murabito at 174, picking up four team points and keeping the Mountaineers within striking distance.

A critical moment came at 197 pounds where #28 Robert Platt upset #21 Rune Lawrence, winning 10-7 by decision. Platt’s victory added three more points for North Carolina and quelled any comeback hopes after Contino’s bonus. Between Hepner’s fall, Contino’s major, and Platt’s ranked upset, the outcome was effectively decided, with the remaining matches unable to change the 20-point final margin in Chapel Hill.